Herald and Review from Decatur, Illinois • Page 27

C9 Decatur, Illinois Herald Review Friday, April 25, 1997 On Business o1 mm Labor problems at Chrysler plant could affect foundry's production at Wagner Castings Co. if shutdown continues 1 A IV MINICH I a a ii 6. I 1 1 I blue collar to white collar is out of balance," Mason said. Introduction of new Dis-o-matic casting lines last year and closing of the malleable foundry reduced union jobs from 678 to 390. Union workers at a Chrysler engine plant in Detroit walked out April 9 over the company's proposal to shift about 300 jobs to an independent supplier.

That strike has led to an engine shortage that forced Chrysler to shut down seven assembly plants and slow operations at 12 parts plants. A total 23,942 workers are affected. Chrysler spokesman Dan Moore said high-level talks were still being conducted by phone. He said there may be additional layoffs effective Monday. (The Associated Press contributed to this report.) Chrysler is Wagner's second-largest customer, behind Ford Motor Co.

"It all depends on how long it lasts," Wagner President James F. Mason said Thursday. "If the shutdown continues, we could begin to miss that business." The 80-year-old Decatur foundry makes parts for all three U.S. automakers as well as Cummins Engine Co. and other smaller customers.

In an unrelated move, Mason said Wagner is seeking volunteers for severance as the company cuts salaried staff from 242 to 192. A severance package is being offered to volunteers on a first-come basis until April 28, he said. "We've cut our production work force and the ratio of By GARY MINICH Staff Writer DECATUR Labor problems that have stalled production at Chrysler Corp. plants could be a problem for supplier Wagner Castings Co. of Decatur.

Chrysler has stopped shipments from Wagner, but that has not substantially affected the foundry's production. Quantum back online after delay By GARY MINICH Staff Writer DECATUR, MACON COUNTY 10 1 9 f)l March vfll MAMJJASONDJFM testing the new supplier, McKenna and his partner, Chris Blohm, are ready to start building again. "People expected us to take Chapter 11 (bankruptcy)," McKenna said. "We're not ready to do that." On March 21, toll-free services Quantum had contracted went dead. Interactive Week magazine reports at least 25 Internet service providers suffered outages because the toll-free numbers were not registered or registered to other companies.

Quantum paid a $4,500 set-up fee to join a network in February and more than four times that amount for telephone equipment. The Decatur company rented a toll-free number from Ameritech until it found a new Texas-based supplier. The new supplier, Private Label Internet, will cost Quantum more to use but pricing won't change for customers. Quantum provides flat-rate Internet connections for $19.95 monthly in Decatur and $29.95 monthly outside Decatur. City March February Bloomington-Normai 3.0 3.3 Champaign-Urbana 3.1 3.5 Charleston-Mattoon 4.1 4.4 Chicago 5.1 5.2 Clinton 5.9 6.6 Danville 7.9 8.5 East St.

Louis 5.1 5.8 Effingham 4.5 5.9 Kankakee 6.7 6.9 Lincoln 6.4 7.0 Monticello 7.1 7.9 Peoria 5J3 5.8 Quad Cities 5.0 5.3 Rockford 4.9 5.1 Shelbyville 5.6 6.7 Springfield 4.7 5.1 Sullivan 4.2 4.9 Taylorville 6.0 6.7 Tuscola 4.6 4.9 Vandalia 6.5 7.7 DECATUR Quantum Commur5-cations a Decatur-based Internet access provider, has resumed attempts to increase its customer base a month after a mysterious interruption of toll-free service. Quantum is one of at least two dozen Internet service providers nationwide that found their access suddenly cut off in late March by an Ann Arbor, supplier. "Nationwide, 40 or 50 ISPs (Internet service providers) got caught in this," co-owner Kevin McKenna said Thursday. "What galls me is that everyone involved is still in business. No one wants to say where the money went." A start-up company, Quantum lost six of 82 customers as a result of the curtailed service.

"Things were going great," McKenna said. "We were signing up four or five new customers a day." After a month of confusion and DECATUR, MACON COUNTY 57,000 56,000 T1 55,000 IT iiiiffiTl i inrHI 53 000 1 Ml gfff 4 Mfl ei nnn -j 1 0 fj- 0 LJ L3 MAMJJASONDJFM una wers unemDlOVmeili mm B0 struct start of spring con By BILL RUMINSKI Business Editor lease May 29. About 250 Macon County residents found jobs last month, pushing employment to 54,673 in March. Nearly 60 people stopped seeking jobs, slightly reducing the county's labor force to 59,257. All 10 metropolitan areas in Illinois showed lower jobless rates last month, with the largest drop coming in East St.

Louis. The Metro East area's unemployment rate decreased by 0.7 percentage point to 5.1 percent, followed by Decatur and Peoria, each having a 0.5 percentage point decline. The statewide unemployment rate fell to 5.3 percent from 5.5 percent in February. Eight metro areas, including Decatur, increased nonfarm employment compared to a year ago. The largest gain was in the Moline-Rock Island area, where employment was up 2.3 percent in March compared to a year ago.

Decatur posted a 0.5 percent gain. Employment was unchanged from a year ago in East St. Louis and down 0.4 percent in Peoria, the department reported. DECATUR Construction employment, emerging from its winter slowdown, helped lower Macon County's unemployment rate to 7.7 percent last month from 8.2 percent in February. Construction firms added 75 workers to payrolls last month, while Macon County businesses added a total of 200 people, the Illinois Department of Employment Security reported Thursday.

"There were fairly widespread gains in employment, with the largest numbers coming in construction trades," said Tom Heffern, a labor market analyst with the Illinois Department of Employment Security. The new jobs pushed nonfarm employment in Macon County to 56,800, compared to 56,600 in February and 56,525 in March 1996. Heffern said employment gains, especially in construction, should continue through at least May. The April employment report is due for re Restaurants join forces to add services Teresa Thornton will consolidate her Chili Parlor operations at Nelson Park starting Monday. Thornton, who operated the Jasper Street Chili Parlor from 1976 to 1988, brought those recipes to Nelson Park two summers ago, then took over Swartz Coffee Shop, 163 N.

Main in December 1995. She has bought rights to Swartz pies, Swartzburgers and other menu items from Keith Ashby and will close the downtown diner at 4 p.m. Saturday. Thornton hopes to reopen on Monday in Nelson Park, where hours will be 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Monday through Saturday until Memorial Day, and 9 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. through the summer. The lakeside Chili Parlor will add waitress service and feature Swartz baked goods before noon. Thornton has also acquired the paddleboat concession and marine filling station thera It's not clear what will become of the downtown coffee shop, extensively updated over the past two years and popular with downtown workers for breakfast and lunch.

Ashby said he is dropping much of his former business involvement to concentrate on college food services. He will end operations at City Plaza Ballroom when the lease expires June 30. He will confine operations to Richland Community College while marketing similar services to other campuses. DBS Menard's is planning a expansion of its 7-year-old Forsyth store. President John Menard said he wants the project completed by fall so that the store can be restocked and reconfigured in time for year-end sales.

"We're very pleased with the business we do there," Menard said by phone from his Eau Claire, headquarters. "But we've added lots of new products since the store was built and we've no place to put them without expanding." Menard's, a family-owned building supply company, operates 128 outlets in the Midwest. DBH Jack Fleener and Ken Stone have opened Fleener and Stone Auto Detailing, 1905 N. Main just across from Tom's Grill. Cars get washed, waxed, shampooed and coated with a protectant for about $75, said Fleener, also a partner in Fleener Roberts auto repair service.

The detailing station is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday with appointments on Saturday. Call 875-1276 for more information. Ill Frank H.

Smith Investments and Insurance has moved from Hickory Point Executive Suites to 3180 N. Woodford Suite 2. Smith, an insurance agent for more than 20 years here, offers a full range of insurance and investment products. Call 877-0505. ana Hosie Duckworth's shoeshine parlor will move one door north next week into the space formerly occupied by Morey's News Stand, 130 S.

Main St. Dee and Beverly Brown recently closed the newsstand to put more time into enjoying retirement. Duckworth, a retired Wagner Castings Co. worker, opened the stand last summer. Shines are $3.

Hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. On Business, published Friday in the Herald Review, high-, lights new businesses and business developments. CSX profit climbs 3 percent in first quarter RICHMOND, Va.

CSX first-quarter earnings rose 3 percent led by growth in its expanding rail unit. The railway company earned $151 million, or 70 cents a share, compared with $146 million, or 69 cents a share, for the same quarter last year. The latest results were depressed by $16 million for CSX's investment in Conrail during the quarter. The results were a penny shy of the 71 cents a share expected by analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research. Revenue for the quarter rose to $2.57 billion from $2.51 billion a year earlier.

CSX is buying 42 percent of Philadelphia-based Conrail for $115 a share, or $4.3 billion. Norfolk Southern Corp. is buying the remainder for $5.8 billion. Essex International reports record income FORT WAYNE, Ind. Essex International which completed an initial stock offering April 17, said Thursday it had record income and sales in the first quarter.

The wire and cable maker earned $19.2 million, or 69 cents a share, in the three months ended March 31, compared with $6.4 million, or 23 cents a share, a year ago. Sales rose to $410.8 million from $308.4 million in the first three months of 1996. Sales were helped by the company's purchase of Triangle Wire and Cable Inc. in October. Essex International is the parent of Essex Group which operates an industrial wire plant in Pana.

The longtime private firm sold 5.75 million shares of common stock April 17. Sara Lee profits rise 10 percent CHICAGO Sara Lee Corp. reported Thursday its profit rose 10 percent in the latest quarter as gains in its packaged meats and bakery business offset lower coffee and grocery sales. The maker of Ball Park franks, L'eggs hosiery and Sara Lee cakes earned $206 million, or 41 cents a share, in its third fiscal quarter ended March 29 compared with $188 million, or 37 cents a share, a year earlier. The per-share earnings were lower than the 42 cents analysts expected.

Sales rose 5 percent to $4.6 billion from $4.4 billion in the first three months of 1996. Procter Gamble increases profit CINCINNATI Consumer products marketer Procter Gamble Co. said Thursday its profit rose 16 percent in the latest quarter on a slim 2 percent increase in sales revenue. The maker of Tide detergent, Ivory soap and Crest toothpaste earned $881 million, or $1.26 a share, in its third fiscal quarter ended March 31, up from $760 million, or $1.07 a share, a year ago. That was ahead of Wall Street expectations for $1.23 a share in earnings, according to a survey.

sponsors free marketing workshop topics including ways to become a top producer, personal promotion and effective marketing strategies. The three-hour seminar is sponsored by the Herald Review. DECATUR A free marketing workshop for real estate professionals titled "Breakthrough Marketing" begins at 9 a.m. today at the Decatur Club. Dennis Creps, a featured speaker at 11 National Association of Realtors conventions, will discuss ilL DOW (Industrials) Financial News Updates at your 475-7000 Headlines 5025 Dow Averages 5026 Market Indexes 5027 Chicago (AP) Futures trading on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange: Open High Low Settle Chg.

CATTLE 40,000 cents per lb. Jun97 64.80 64.80 63.87 63.92 Aug 97 64.52 64.55 63.B7 64.00 Oct 97 68.45 68.50 68.10 68.15 Dec 97 70.20 70.20 69.85 69.87 Feb 98 71.12 71.15 70.70 70.70 Apr 98 72.95 72.95 72.67 72.72 Wed sales 9,868 Wad's open int 92.266. down -552 Chicago (AP) Futures trading on the Chicago Board of Trade: Open High Low Settle Chg, WHEAT 5.000 bu minimum- cents per bushel May 97 429 434 420 421 -10 Jul 97 436 440 425 425 -10 Sep 97 436 445 429 429 -11 'A Dec 97 448 455 439 440V -9'A Mar 98 439 451 439 443 -7 May 98 426 426 420 420 -6 Jul 98 391 392 391 392 -1 Wad's sales 21,466 Wetfs open int 88,049. up 508 CORN 5.000 bu minimum- cents per bushel NYSE Winners 5028 NYSE Losers 5029 Weekly Winners 5030 FEEDER CATTLE 50.000 cents per lb. 72.42 72.50 72.40 72.42 Grain Markets Decatur area prices supplied by ADM Growmark-Tabor Co.

Com $2.81 Beans $8.29 Wheat $3.76 Hogs Volume Top East SL Louis ..1,000 $57.00 Peoria 400 $57.00 Interior 28.000 $57.50 Cattle Volume Top East St Louis 0 Peoria 0 I Spot commodity prices: Prev. Year Close Day Ago Aluminum 71.1 712 71.6 Copper 118.00 115.00 129.00 Gold 340.90 341.00 393.30 Silver 4.725 4.725 5.365 Weekly Losers 5031 Index Name Close Chg. Apr 97 May 97 Aug 97 Sep 97 Oct 97 Nov 97 Jan 98 72.40 75.47 75.45 75.67 77.25 72.40 75.50 75.45 75.67 77.30 72.05 72.25 75.07 75.25 75.10 75.20 75.45 75.60 77.10 77.15 NYSE Active 5032 298 292 293 -5 299'A 292 293 -5 287 281 281 -4 282'A 277 278 -3 287 282 283 -4V 289 287 287 -4 293 289 290 -4 May 97 Jul 97 Sep 97 Dec 97 Mar 98 May 98 Jul 98 298 299 285 281 286 289 293 AMEX Active 5033 77.85 77.85 77.80 77.80 52-wfc 52-wk 52-wk Hi Lo Name Last Chg. Hi Lo Name Last Chg. Hi Lo Name Last Chg.

97 747AMR 90 -1 796 53V Disney 76V4 60 30 Lucent 56 43 31 30 37 29 Donlley 32 14 10V4 MYR 12 61 38AbtLab 59 92 69 DowCh 81 2 35 21 MagGp 29 27 13Airgas 14 115V4 72 DuPont 10214-3 51 41 McDnWs 51 312 1Akom 2 Vie 6 3 EglFd 5Vw 99 56 Merck 87 68V4 37 Allstate 61 32 21 EqtCos 27 104 54'4 MerrLyn 87'4 -1 68 50AHome 64 56 40 Exxon 54V4 11553 Microstt s114 -1 45 32 AmStores 44 V4 17 13 FalconPd 14 26 16 MillenCh n17 65 49Ameritch 56 26 14 FamDIr 25 51 Vt 29 Milcmln 45Vre1V 91 65 Amoco 82 50 30 Fastenl 39 931 61V4 MMM 86 45 32 Anheuss 41 7 5 Fedders 5 136 107 Mobil 124 -1 28 15AppleC 17 -V 68 42 FstAm 63'4 43V4 26 Monsan 40 34V4 20 Applebee 21 28 17 FtFnCp 26V 69 44 Motorola 58 23 15ArchDan 18 33 21 FMidBcs 30 12 8 Navistar 9 133 16 11 FstMutl 14 98'4 78 NflkSo 89 37 19 AutoZone 24 38 29 Rrstbklll 36 62V4 44 PPG 53V4 V4 49V4 31V4 BancOne 40 -Vt 37V4 29 FordM 34 57 44 Penney 46 -V 49 39 Baxter 46 38 26 FrptMc 28 35 28 PepsiCo s33 14 26V4 7BestBuy 12 49 37 GTE 43 -1 46 28 PhilMors 41 17 12 BobEvn 13'4 10874 GenElec 106 27V4 20 PimcoAd 23 38 34 CIPSCO 33 1A 63 45 GnMotr 55 12981 ProctGm 123 -2 42 26 CNB Bcsh 42 -V4 45 33 Goodrch 38 1 56 39 Sears 48 87 64 CPC 81 -1 55 41 Goodyear 52V4 30 20 Svcmst 30 21 13CPI 16 3425GrndMet 33V 59 37 Tandy 50 1 53 41 'A CSX 46-1 24 22 Hanson 24 -Vi 20 10 TeleComA 12 30 22 Cabot 23V 60 37 HewlPk 50'4 11178 Texaco 103 -1 32 21 CarsPir 28 59 45 HmeDep 5714 92 67 Transm 80 -3 16 10CartWal 13 53 20 lkonOffSol23 62 35Tycolnt 59 -V 24 15Caseys 19Vw -V 36 26 IllrnCtr 32 80 41 UAL 76-4 89 62Caterp 87V4-1 2914 20 lllinova 20 29 18 Unicom 19 72 54 Chevron 66V4 49 37 IngerRd 47 -V 40 34 UnElec 34 36 26V Chryslr 30 165 64 Intel 146 23 13V4 Unisrcen 14 1 44 35Cilcorp 37 17 10 IntmetC 12 9 5 Unisys 6 63V4 39CocaCls 60 -14 17089 IBM 153111A 8 1 VentSt 2 18 12ConsPdts 14 44 36 IntPap 42 4- 37 28 WMX Tc 28 47 27 Comrngln 46 16 8 Kmart 13 4- 29 21 WalMart 27 29V4 19CrkrBrl 26 28 18 Kroger 26 44 30 Walgreen 43 35 24 Cranes 34 25 19 LeeEnt 24 35 25 WallCS 25 -4V 44 24 DWDisc 35V4 61 40 LincNatl 52 -1 21 15WstgEI 17 -V 47 34 Deere 45 -1 43 28 Lowes 37 61 44 Whrlpl 46 -1A 3.036 NASDAQ Active 5034 Wed sales Wad's open int 19.815, down -50 60.209 HOGS-Lean Wad's sales Wad's open int Dow Jones Industrials 6792.25 NYSE Composite 403.62 Amex Index 543.95 0.59 NASD Composite 1228.10 0.96 771.18 Value Line Arithmetic 683.12 Value Line Geometric Wilshire 5000 334.027, down -2172 OATS 40,000 cents per lb. 85.15 86.60 84.75 85.37 5.000 bu minimum- cents per bushel May 97 174 175'A 173 173 CB0T Overview 5035 CBOT Prices 5036 Chicago Merc 5037 Precious Metals 5038 Money Rates 5039 85.05 86.40 84.85 85.52 82.95 84.45 82.40 83.10 75.95 77.00 75.55 76.15 73.10 73.90 72.60 73.35 Jun97 Jul 97 Aug 97 Oct 97 Dec 97 Feb 98 .42 .60 .30 .30 .45 .27 166 166 165 165 165 165 167 168 166 166 166 166 1 1 -1 -1 Jul 97 Sep 97 Dec 97 Mar 98 71.60 71.85 71.25 71.62 67.62 68.15 67.55 67.55 Apr 98 1681A 2,135 Wed sales 8.580 Wed's sales Wed's open int 19.585, up 8619 Wad's open int 35,607, up 1224 PORK BELLIES 40,000 cents per lb. Key barometers in the Treasury market Yield Prev. 92.40 95.12 92.00 95.12 3.00 Treasuries I 5040 Treasuries II 5041 Corp. Bonds 5042 CSCE 5043 NYCE 5044 Spot Crude 5045 Exchange Rates 5046 91.75 89.37 78.75 79.40 94.67 91.37 81.02 79.40 Spot commodity prices Prev.

Close Day Saudi Arabian light 15.44 15.35 North Sea Brent 17.69 17.60 West Texas I. 20.03 19.73 Alaska-West Coast 18.41 18.12 SOYBEANS 5.000 bu rrumnxjfrv cents per bushel May 97 843 848 838 847 4 Jul 97 845 850 840 848 3 Aug 97 82712 831 823 827 Sep 97 753 758 750 754 4-1 Nov 97 695 701 692 695 -1 Jan 98 700 706 697 699 -2 Mar 98 710 710 704 704 -2 Wed's sates 46.041 Wed's open int 181,292, up 96 May 97 Jul 97 Aug 97 Feb 98 Mar 98 May 98 Jul 98 91.65 94.67 3.00 89.00 91.37 3.00 78.05 78.30 27 78.00 78.00 1.40 72.00 72 00 4,156 7,287, up 40 5.625 5.375 5.29 5.27 5.98 5.99 6.92 6.84 7.13 7.06 Federal Funds 3-month bill 1-year bill 10-year rate 30-year bond Wed's sales Wetfs open int FOOTNOTES: New 52-week low. Loss in last 12 mos. New issue in past 52 weeks. pt Preferred.

Split Of stock dividend of 25 percent or mora in past 52 weeks, New 52-week high. AGEdwards Sorts, Inc Bart Idle William Krueger Joseph Meyers Ronald Miller William Modlin Kit Paulin Mark Reynolds Edward Seymour Gerald Sheehan Michael Sheehan Gregory Bafford Thomas Caufield Rodney Damery Paul Hagenbach George Hubbard 2884 N. Monroe Decatur, IL 62526 (217) 876-8500 800-388-1808 Roger Tice Kenneth Wade Frances Williams Rork Williams LM-39-0297-EDE Investments Since 1887.